CHERUB-The Recruit: Bolingbrook
by Di Blythe
Summary: Annabelle Morgan's life is changed when her mother is suddenly killed in a car crash, forcing her to stay at the Bolingbrook house until she's old enough to fend for herself. All that is changed when she's recruited into CHERUB...
1. The start of a new life

Annabelle stared blankly at the tombstone in front of her. So this was it. She was an orphan. Surely this was a horrible dream when you wake up to find the world a dark and gloomy place, this was a nightmare and only a harmless dream, wasn't it. The tomb with the engraved name of her mother proved that it wasn't. She would not cry. _She_ would not cry. She _could_ not cry. Why could she not cry? Isn't it awful when you want to cry but you can't.

"Annabelle," said a voice in a low tone. "You can tell me."

She remained unmoved, her green eyes expressionless and they never left the monument.

Tell her what? That her that her mother died in a car-crash? That now she was to go to one of those homes for children? This was how she was going to cheer her up by reminding her of it? Idiot.

"Tell me," she persisted.

"Just mind you own," Annabelle almost screeched glaring at her friend with stinging eyes. "I'm sick of hearing your voice. Go away!" Jen backed away.

"I was only trying to help," she said in her defence. "You don't need to go all crazy."

"Is that what you call helping? Do you think hearing your irritating whining about would help me? Maybe a "Its ok," or a "You'll be alright" would work better. Just get away, I hate you."

"Fine I will!" Jen walked away without a moment of feeling sorry for Annabelle's loss. If she was going to be like that then why should she care.

Annabelle looked away but she felt terrible. Could something her friend said make her temper fly so dramatically? Yep this was it, she was going to go insane and soon would be sent to a mental hospital. She was sure to look forward to the next years of her life.

She broke down and ebbed out a sob.

"I hate my life,"

_A few days later_

"Hi I'm Delilah," said a cheerful and bubbly lady behind a counter. "You must be Annabelle."

"Yes,"

"Well I'm glad to meet you." she chattered on. "Trust me you're going to have a _great _time!"

_I wish I could believe you._

"Now here at Bolingbrook house we each have a roommate to share our room with," said Delilah. "Let me show you to your room."

Annabelle grunted as she tried to lift up her luggage.

"Oh and let me help you," she said smiling. Annabelle smiled back. Maybe she was going to like it here.

She glanced up at the never-ending flight of stairs. Maybe not.

_Doesn't this place have an elevator._

"This place doesn't have an elevator," said Delilah as if she was reading her mind and said it almost sorrowfully.

"Oh, really I should carry my own bag," said Annabelle determined to make an impression and she really was starting to feel guilty of letting Delilah carrying her luggage.

"It's fine, we're here. Room 8B." Delilah opened the door. Annabelle felt as if she should scream.

The room was small clean, clean but shabby. The pillows had stains, the blankets were rough, the mirror on the wall was dusty.

"Do you like it?" asked Delilah good-heartedly. Annabelle didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"Well it's certainly different," she said trying to smile but her eyes kept narrowing to the dirty beds.

"Samantha, here's you new roommate," said Delilah. A head popped out-_almost out of nowhere_-and a girl of twelve with two beady blue eyes gave a big grin.

"Hello there," she said. Annabelle forced a placid smile.

"Hi,"

"You must be Annabelle," she said coming forward. "The new kid, can I call you Bella,"

"Yes," said Annabelle who hated being called Bella. But she seemed rather nice. "I think Anna sounds better, though,"

"Alright-Anna," she gave her a hand. "My name is Sammy,"

"Where did you live before?" asked Annabelle as Sammy helped her unpack.

"London," she replied. "That's also where my mother and father both died, shot down to the ground in one hit by some insane weirdo-"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I-I shouldn't have asked."

"Don't be, its been seven years now,"

_What if I'm here seven years!_

"Its not as bad as it looks," said Sammy looking around her. "But mind you, they do need to clean it up around here."

"Why don't you clean it up yourself?"

"Don't have the facilities, now that we've unpacked," said Sammy getting up. "Its time for dinner, c'mon."

Sammy led Annabelle to the Mess Hall. It was crowded with hungry children wanting dinner. Looking at the food given out almost made Anna feel sick.

"Mash potato and-" Sammy poked the suspicious looking meat. "Chicken? You can never be too sure about the food here,"

"I'm a vegetarian," said Annabelle pushing the dish away.

"Oh dear, its the worst for you," said Sammy piteously. "Raw carrots and that's it."

Annabelle was thankful she wasn't that hungry. And it almost took forever to get out of the Mess Hall. All the children pushing and shoving, wanting to get a good night's sleep. It was so smelly there.

_This is how I'm going to live everyday._

Tears filled up in Annabelle's eyes.

"Oh cheer up," said Sammy patting her back reassuringly. "Its not that bad."

"I want to go home," she moaned as she wiped the tears away.

"So do I, but now this _is_ home,"

Annabelle realised that Sammy was right.

That night, Annabelle held onto her blanket tightly. The tears kept on coming-rolling down her cheeks. They stung her eyes. She wanted to be back in her old cosy home, in her own bed, knowing that her mother was safe and sound in the next room.

Now her mother was safe and sound in her _grave._

A loud car alarm beeped loudly and continuously. She covered her ears from the intruding sound, hoping and praying that it would stop.

It was the least she could do.


	2. Real friends needed

"Wake up Sleeping Beauty!"

Annabelle shot up out of her bed. Sammy smiled cheerfully.

"Morning,"

"Morning," she grumbled back. Sammy smirked.

"Did you have a good night's sleep?" she asked. Did it look like she did? Did it look like she wanted to talk about it?

"No."

"Can you get changed in about five minutes?" she went on as she slipped on some sneakers.

"No."

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Great lets go down stairs then." said Sammy as if not hearing anything Annabelle said.

_ She's annoying, and deaf!_

Annabelle quickly put on a pullover and quickly ran after Sammy.

"Can't you wait?" she asked finally catching up. She shoved the tangled strands of hair out of her face.

"No."

"Why?" asked Annabelle clearly getting annoyed.

"Let's hope there's something edible today."

Annabelle rolled her eyes. _Hello? Do you even listen._ She wished she could slap her, that'd show her.

"Do you think it will be crowded?"

"Maybe,"

"Why can't you answer a question properly?"

"I don't know," said Sammy with a teasing smile which only irritated her even more.

Unfortunately, the food had not been edible.

"It must be illegal to even let anybody eat this!" screeched Sammy as she tried to take a bite out of her stale bread.

This time Annabelle _was _hungry. She looked at her plate with a disgusted look on her face.

The next thing she knew someone threw the leftovers of their plate onto hers.

"Hey, watch it!" she said angrily.

"Sorry I thought you were done." they said carelessly.

"Well I wasn't!"

"Oh well, now you take the rest to the bin."

Sammy shook her head.

"I hate it when they do that, here you can have some of my baked beans." she offered.

Annabelle looked at the odd shapes moving around in a bright _yellow_ substance. She had lost most of her appetite.

"No thanks." she said swallowing hard as she tried not to puke.

Sammy shrugged then went away, probably to throw the food out. Annabelle drank out of the cup of cordial. Yuck! This was basically 95% water and 5% cordial. She put the cup down.

And where would you get plain water to drink?

She looked around. She was terribly thirsty. There was no way she was going to drink that flavourless cup of cordial. It left a weird taste in her mouth, anyway. She slumped back down in her chair.

"Oi! What you do that for?!" There was a hush of silence. No one dared to speak.

She turned around and saw a girl surrounded by some stocky looking teens.

"I didn't mean to-really-I-I'm sorry," stammered the girl. Annabelle's eyes widened as she saw who it was. Sammy.

"Oh really, you're telling me that you don't mean to spill this shit all over me? Well princess that's not how it works." shouted the girl. Sammy protested, but the girls only sniggered.

"You don't understand-I-"

"We'll show you," said one.

"No please," cried Sammy. "Please."

Annabelle wouldn't do anything, she _couldn't _do anything. Her feet were rooted to the ground. She wanted to help Sammy because after all-she _was_ her friend. The only way to solve this situation was to fight back in defence, and Annabelle couldn't fight. A girl like her would only get herself into trouble. But still...

The girls left Sammy, battered on the ground. Bruised. Bleeding. Cuts on her face.

Annabelle, finally being able to move, ran towards her.

"Oh Sammy," she gasped. "Are you alright?" Sammy looked up at her, with her big blue eyes.

"Don't talk to me," she said in a low voice. Annabelle was taken back.

"Oh but Sammy, let me take you to the-"

"I said _don't talk to me_."

She ran off from the crowd of kids. Annabelle felt terrible.

She had stood there and done nothing. She had stood there and watched. She had stood there and didn't even move a muscle.

"Sammy wait!"

She almost had her, but she tripped and when she got back up-she was gone. There was no one in sight in the empty hallway.

"Come back, I'm sorry." she cried.

No response.


End file.
